A trend in the telecommunications industry is the development of wireless devices that support multiple functions, such as, voice communication, music downloads, video and movie downloads, photography, location mapping, game playing, and the like. Wireless devices that support multiple functions with multiple radio access technologies (RATs) are referred to herein as multi-RAT converged devices (CDs).
Another trend in the telecommunications industry is the development of devices that support multiple access technologies and networks that support multiple devices. More specifically, work is in progress so that technologies such as wireless local area network (WLAN), Bluetooth, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) or IEEE 802.16, IEEE 802.3, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Evolution Data Only (EV-DO) will work together in a single network. Multiple devices can be grouped into networks with spontaneous network connectivity. These networks are referred to as mesh networks. IEEE group 802.11 (WLAN) has extended the 802.11 specification (802.11s) to include a WLAN mesh network. Similarly, IEEE group 802.15 has extended their specification to 802.15.5 for a mesh wireless personal area network (WPAN) and IEEE 802.16 has been extended to 802.16a to support a WiMAX mesh. Theses mesh architectures strive to provide robust network access with extended range, low cost and quick, easy deployment. However, each of these extensions supports only a single radio technology.
It would be desirable to have a multi-RAT mesh network wherein CDs can be used to dynamically route data from nodes, whether fixed or mobile, using the most appropriate RAT towards a destination that otherwise may not have been reached. The CD could be used as a relay for multi-RAT, multi-hop communication.
A challenge for a CD is to be able to provide consistent mesh services while utilizing multiple RATs. Mesh related functions are preferably generic and Layer 1 (L1) signaling agnostic, while selection of the radio to use for the next hop communication should be optimal, based on quality-of-service (QoS), battery level, next hop capability and the like. It would therefore be desirable to incorporate an intermediate functional layer between the radio layer and the mesh network layer that can abstract the RAT messages, the mesh-related upper layers and share mesh related information with its peers in the mesh network.